Light grained bullets in .45 Long Colt, will it stabilize ok?

[His lordship.]

I got back into hand loading, and currently doing .45 long colt for my Ruger Super Redhawk.  I was shooting at 50 and 100 yards yesterday and noticed that the 250 grained bullets really drop at distance, and the 200 grained bullets are marginal.  I was using 8 grs of Unique powder in each cartridge.


I am thinking of working up a flat shooting varmint load for this gun, flat trajectory up to 200 yards is my goal, thinking of trying some light grained bullets like the 160, 175 or 185 grained bullets.  I know that some shooters use the 185 grained bullets in their 1911's in .45 ACP for more zip.


My revolver was chambered in .454 Casull and I suspect that it is rifled for heavy hunting slugs, has anyone used light grained bullets in their guns chambered in .45 long colt, or even their 1911s and found that they were stabilized ok?


Thanks.

[SHOOTALL]

One of the good things about a 454 is it is a good gun to shoot light bullets in. I would use 454 brass though , with a light bullet it will be short and have a longer jump to rifling with 45 Colt brass.

[tacklebury]

For varmint loads in the .45 Colt I think I'd use FTX Bullets personally.  Better BC and that is what counts for longer flatter shots. 
 
http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/199044/hornady-leverevolution-bullets-460-s-and-w-452-diameter-200-grain-flex-tip-expanding-box-of-50

[anachronism]

The "45 Swift" idea has never worked out well. According to my Hornady manual, a 185 gr .452  JHP bullet, with a muzzle velocity of 1500 fps, needs to be sighted in almost 13 inches high at 100 meters, to zeroed at 200 yards. That, is a lot of drop. Your shot would be just under 9 inches high at 50 meters. The idea of a load being "flat shooting" just doesn't pan out well with the 45 Colt. Even if you could get the bullet to 1900 FPS, you'd still be almost 11 inches high at 100 meters, and 7 inches high at 50 meters. This isn't to suggest it's not do-able, but you need to look at the big picture, and understand how much drop you're dealing with. Also, a scope with a lot of adjustment capability would be a great asset. Also, you'll need a much slower powder than Unique. Think H110/296, or even Lil Gun, and 454 cases instead of 45 Colt.

[cwlongshot]

Its a nice idea, but going to give you fits...
You see, going lighter will gain you trajectory but a bullets weight is but one part of that equation. You NEED proper bullet length and good streamlined profile to complete it. The last two are TOTALLY lacking with such a large diameter as the 45. These bullets are shorter then they are wide!  Your best bet for a long range accurate projectile in this bore is to go BIG, about small. But that doesn't get you flat trajectories. So higher vel is about all you can do.
 
Good luck,
 CW

[Graybeard]

There is no such thing as a flat shooting .45 Colt load out to 200 yards. Get used to it. Learn your trajectory and know your distance via a range finder and aim accordingly.

Generally speaking the lighter bullets don't gain you much if anything trajectory wise as they lose that initial higher velocity at a much faster rate.

If ya gotta have flat trajectory get a varmint rifle.